Tyson Fury has once more been urged to finally snap his retirement from the ring and book an overdue fight against one of his biggest rivals.
Flip-flopping on a return to the ring earlier this year, former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury initially had sights set on a trilogy fight with current undisputed titleholder Oleksandr Usyk.
However, just weeks later, the Morecambe native would change his mind once more — claiming he was now too old to compete in the squared circle again.
But with Anthony Joshua approaching his own comeback to the ring — potentially as soon as next year — an overdue fight with his compatriot Fury has been floated once more.
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Furthermore, the man backing the bout into existence has offered Fury an ultimatum on the pairing, insisting it’s likely now or never.
Eddie Hearn drops ultimatum on Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua
Remaining steadfast in his bid to book the grudge fight between the duo, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted he is still hopeful of securing the pairing.
So much so, the Dagenham native revealed in his 2026 boxing wish list that if he could book any fight next year, it would be a heavyweight showdown between Fury and Joshua, undoubtedly.
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But as far as Hearn is concerned, if Fury is not able to return as soon as next summer against Joshua — the pairing is likely dead and buried forever.
“All that’s in my mind in an ideal scenario is to fight Tyson Fury next year,” Hearn told Sky Sports. “That’s the big focus.
“From a common-sense perspective, the fight has to happen in 2026, but common sense and Fury’s decisions don’t always gel together,” Hearn continued. “He’s got to want to come back. It’s a personal decision.”
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And while urging Fury to stick or twist on the boxing game, Hearn has confirmed Joshua’s immediate return to the ring would not come against the Morecambe native.
Anthony Joshua backed for lowly return to action
Amid links to a showdown with Jake Paul, Joshua is now set for an extended period on the sidelines, with the Ohio star instead booking an exhibition clash with Gervonta Davis for November under the umbrella of Netflix.
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Instead hoping to book a return at the beginning of 2026, Joshua has been ruled out of several high-profile fights immediately by Hearn, who claimed a further loss in his career would be “devastating” for his future.
“There’s been no conversation with him [Tony Yoka] about the fight, but it’s not going to be (Tyson) Fury, (Oleksandr) Usyk, (Daniel) Dubois, Moses (Itauma), (Joseph) Parker, it’s just not going to be one of those guys next,” Hearn said.
“If there was a way to win a world title, it would be amazing to see him become a three-time world heavyweight champion,” Hearn explained.